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2026 Rock Eligibles

Exploding onto the scene late into her teen years, Alicia Keys proved she was no flash in the pan as her blend of Neo-Soul, sultriness, and diverse musical skills propelled her into multiple Billboard charts. She was not like the other “divas” on the charts as it was quickly learned that she had a different skill set from anyone else who shared her “genre”. Her longevity…

Avenged Sevenfold have gone through multiple ends of the Metal spectrum and gained a huge and devoted fan base. They did have a bit of commercial breakthrough success, but with so many Metal pioneers who remain on the outside of the Hall looking in, is this really a serious challenge to enter the Hall when eligible?

No Saved by the Bell fans, this is not about the High School that Zack Morris went to. Bayside carved themselves a solid run in the Punk world, especially in their native New York. Likely not a strong contender for the Hall of Fame, this is one of those bands that probably could not care less.

One of the more successful and respected Independent Rock bands of the 2000’s, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club blended Classic Rock influences along with melodic Alternative to make a sound that kicked down the doors of the Rock world. As much as BRMC was clearly inspired by multiple British sounds, they are as American sounding as they come.

A major star in the world of Country Music, Blake Shelton crossed over huge into the mainstream with his good looks, crooning voice and television appearances on “The Voice”. Shelton may have already done enough for a spot in the revamped Country Music Hall of Fame, but bigger Country stars than Shelton have never come close to entering the Rock Hall.

Brand New took their Pop-Punk blend to a decent sized audience and for many were musical highlights of the decade. They managed to get airplay on MTV2 and Fuse and crack the Alternative charts, though they probably have not done enough to generate a significant look from those who decide who enters the Hall.

Known for their powerful live shows and success on the U.K. Indie Rock scene, the sardonically named, British Sea Power echoed for many the sounds of the Cure and Joy Division. With unique lyrical content and a finger on the pulse of what was relevant to the U.K. at the time, they would be a band that would be a great fit…for the U.K. Indie Hall…

Broken Social Scene is the perfect example of the increased popularity and attention towards music in Canada. The band, which constantly has over twelve members are capable of some of the most textured music in Canadian Indie Rock, and though the respect level for this band is high, Broken Social Scene would unfortunately have to have a solid breakthrough in the United States to crack a…

When people first heard Bubba Sparxxx, the last thing they pictured was a fat white guy who looked more like he should be driving a tractor than helming a hip hop song. Sparxxx actually generated solid commercial success, but though have begrudgingly accepted his talent, but does he really meet the influence category that the Hall claims to covet?

Best described as an Art Punk quartet, Clinic put out a few acclaimed albums in the early 2000’s and put out a sound that just seemed to be faster than anyone else. This was a good band, but there were many other U.K. Indie bands that garnered more attention than they did.

Another Indie Rock band from the province of Ontario, the Constantines were able to secure a nomination for the best Alternative Album in the early 2000’s, and land opening gigs for bigger Canadian bands. They were respected in the Canadian Indie community, but that is not exactly a resume that will get you to Cleveland.

Eminem should be a very strong contender for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so much so that he might already be inducted when his Rap Group project, D12 is elligible. Fronted by the real Slim Shady, D12 had a few hits and though they were not exactly critical darlings (unlike Eminem himself), they achieved more than many others who are eligible in 2026. Still,…

Cutting his musical teeth in the 1990’s with the Indie Rock band, Juniper, Damien Rice struck out on his own with a Singer/Songwriter style that fans flocked for its earthy and cerebral nature. Perhaps saying flocks are inaccurate, as Rice was successful in Ireland, a bit in the U.K., but not much else.

Successful in the early 2000’s in the United Kingdom in the vein of Justin Timberlake, contemporary Pop star Daniel Bedingfield may have been successful in England and in his native New Zealand, but like s many, without American success and a perceived influential nature, he is unlikely to get a sniff here.

It was not that long ago when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame asked themselves if they were ready to induct a Hip Hop/Rap act to the Hall. They did, and we wonder if they will be thinking the same think when the first major DJ becomes Hall eligible. The success of David Guetta is undeniable and he has been even more successful as a…

Arguably the England House Trio of Dirty Vegas was a “one and done” as their 2003 single, “Days Go By” generated attention. That was about it, and unless something else changes, we can’t see anyone from Cleveland even breathing their name.

It has been speculated that the premature death of lead singer Dave “Stage” Williams derailed the momentum that Drowning Pool and there is some validity to that as the band, which was pegged by some as the next big thing in Nu-Metal faded into an outfit that blended into the crowd. They had some good early success, but is that enough to propel tem into the…

A very intriguing Rap/Rock hybrid from Denver, Flobots pushed the Progressive Rap boundaries with a political stance and a dual MC attack. They managed to have a minor Modern Rock Hit in 2008 with Handlebars, but that might have been the apex of what they were able to accomplish.

Although Gorillaz only “exist” in the virtual world, their success in the commercial world was quite extensive. Created by Blur frontman, Damon Albarn and visual designer, Jamie Hewlett, Gorillaz (along with their multiple collaborators) the blend of Alternative Hip Hop, Trip Hop and Electronica received nearly as much critical love as Albarn’s band, Blur did, and had their not been an alleged falling out between Albarn…

India.Arie may not have made the impact in the Neo-Soul genre that many expected when she debuted in the early 2000’s, but she was able to secure a solid place in the music world. India.Arie was able to land multiple Grammy Awards, sell a few albums, but in the world of Neo-Soul, we suspect that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will look for a…